Form, Function, And Feudal Japan Meld In These Hairpin Weapons

As modern as Japan is, there are traditions that date back to feudal times that remain today. One of those traditions is using hairpins or kanzashi when wearing a kimono.

To drive that point home, these particular kanzashi are made by Wargo Nippon and feature three designs that are based on Samurai-era weaponry.

The brass katana and scabbard is adorned with silver chrysanthemums, the symbol of the Imperial family. The jitte kanzashi is based on the sword-busting weapons used by law enforcement. They’re brass coated in gold or rhodium, with a rayon tassels and a replica lantern used for patrol. Finally, the matchlock rifle kanzashi has a butterfly in honor of Nohime, the wife of samurai warlord Oda Nobunaga.